I just use my (current) mobility to get round em. Besides if there were no able bodied people around then who would reach the higher shelves for those stuck in a seat. Although many will have a bit of mobility, I would rather help someone by grabbing something out of reach than try dragging them up off the floor.
Yes it’s nationwide (although London is higher)
Asda is the perfect example of what happens when hedge funds get their mitts on things.
Morrisons is the perfect example of what happens when hedge funds get their mitts on things.
So true !.
Good solid businesses are the best ones to screw the maximum out of in a buy out. More fat to cream off than from an already lean business. Own their own properties, kerching, well funded pensions, kerching, cash reserves, kerching. Jackpot payout.
I must admit, I didn't even realise until I read this post that Boots actually sold food and drink. I've not been in one for years but I thought they were a chemist! The sign on their shops literally says "Boots the Chemist". Bit of a bizarre side hustle for them. If I was after a sandwich Boots is quite possibly the last shop on the planet I would ever think of going in.
I realise that I’ve been to neither store for 20 years, not deliberately, but had no reason. The Morrisons I went to was in Burnley, I think, on a canal boat holiday, and I was pleasantly surprised by how nice it was. I suspect I’d be less happy today.
Back in the day, Boots operated an in-store lending library in many of their branches! Think this arrangement lasted until 1966.
Boots have been selling sandwiches for 40 years and invented the idea of the meal deal 26 years ago, they were offering them before the supermarkets had convenience stores. The idea of packaged sandwiches was copied from M&S though but Boots had the better distribution network.
Boots used to sell own brand slide rules.
Which is exactly what Asda have done. Bought using debt, everything the business owned has been sold off on sale-and-leaseback to give instant returns to the hedge fund. And now the business is starting to struggle under all that debt its the low-paid staff on the front line who will lose their jobs.
I had a portable cassette player from Boots Worcester in the early 90s, think my alarm clock also came from them. They had a significant small electronics department and cookware section.
Fr years I have sought out Boots for their sandwiches as they are usually the cheapest. I never do the meal deal - fine if you want to pay more for sweets and a fancy drink. A drink for me is a bottle of water (2litre M&S stupidly cheap) or one pint of milk.
Boots also did a lot of photographic stuff. Not just developing and printing but also equipment. I think there was a cooking equipment department. I used to go in the Croydon branch basement a lot - somehow no need to nowadays !.
I normally do get the meal deal now, even if I'm not bothered about the crisps or the drink at that time. The sandwiches alone are usually about £3.50 now, clearly priced to make the meal deal look better value. But 50p for a bottle of pop and a packet of crisps makes it make sense.
Boots was another of those good solid businesses. Strength / value / reserves / reputation built up over tens of decades of trading. Stores presenting an image of quality, now looking less so. The crumbling edge of quality as it was called in British Rail.
They used to sell alsorts, the bigger ones were department stores with a huge range of offerings.
You see I just go for the cheapest sandwiches -like cheese (and bread !).
Alas also owned by private equity vultures these days
The Newcastle (Eldon Square) Boots has had a bit of a refurb. Must admit I've not been in it since it was completed, but it certainly looks a bit brighter from the outside.
Boots definitely did sell records (cassettes for me) - together with Woolies and a local independent shop, it was one of three places in my town that sold them.
Boots is not really known for electronics these days. Most people have forgotten that they used to sell much more. So it would take a bit of work to get people to realise that Boots is now a seller of electronics. But i suppose it could work if they had competitive prices and they could compete with Argos and Currys and other high street electronics sellers.